680
FLIGHT,18 May
1961
Two British independents have been doing some serious shopping in the iast two weeks: left, Mr F. A. Laker, executive director of British United Airways
is seen with Sir George Edwards, executive director of the British Aircraft Corporation, in London on May 9, when they jointly announced an initial
order for ten BAC-I I Is by Britain's biggest independent. The BAC-I II, and last week's news conference, are the subject of reports on pages 673 ani
674 of this issue. Right, Mr Eric Rylands (centre), managing director of Skyways, is seen with Sir Colin Weedon of Rolls-Royce (left) and Sir Wavdl
Wakefield, chairman of Skyways, after signing thefmal contract for the airline's three Avro 748s. The occasion was recorded in last week's issue, page 647
AIR COMMERCE . . .
SKYVAN'S FRENCH COUSINW
HEN the baby-freighter formula was being explored by Milesat Shoreham a few years ago, it was to Hurel-Dubois that
they turned for a high-efficiency wing. The aeroplane that resulted,it now transpires, has had offshoots not only in the Short SC.7
Skyvan that is being constructed at Belfast, but in a new Frenchproject, the Hurel-Dubois HD-130.
Designed around two Turbomeca Astazou 2 turboprops, andretaining the Hurel-Dubois high-aspect ratio wing that was such a
distinctive feature of the HDM 105, the HD-130 is a light transportcompetitive with the Skyvan. The wing promises exceptional short-
field capabilities under adverse temperature/altitude conditions,a good view for the passengers, and greater airscrew ground clear-
ance—an advantage when operating from stony, unprepared strips.The HD-130 conforms to US CAR 3 and 4b and SR 422b stan-
dards, and is designed to operate from airfields as high as 15,400ft.Hurel-Dubois considers that the HD-130 will fill a gap which, as
time goes on, will be felt by users of transport aircraft in overseasand often underdeveloped countries—whether airlines, aerial-
work operators or public or private organizations. This gap isbetween the smaller types such as DH Rapides and 3/4-seater
light aircraft on the one hand, and aircraft like the DC-3 on theother. These aircraft are often near the end of their useful lives and
not well adapted to prevailing traffic conditions. The HD-130 cancarry 12-15 passengers over distances of up to 620 miles. Unlike the
Skyvan, the fuselage of the HD-130 is of circular cross-sectionand pressurized, although the aircraft can be offered without pres-
surization to customers who do not need this feature. Swing-tailloading is used, the tail being opened and closed electrically. Floor
sill height is 3ft 3in. and a truck or medium-sized car can be drivenup a ramp into the hold. The fuselage has an external diameter of
7ft 10in, and there is a door in the port side 2ft 3gin wide, justahead of where the tail swings open to starboard. Passengers are
carried in four rows of single seats to port and double seat units to
This is a general arrangement of the new Hurel-Dubois HD-130 light
transport which falls roughly in the same class as the Short SC-7 Skyvan,
though it is rather larger. It is the subject of the note above
starboard; seat pitch is 37in and the central gangway is I5jmwide. A toilet and coat space could be provided.
The wing is a light alloy box-spar structure with a root chord of5ft llin and a tip chord of 2ft 11 Jin. Dihedral is 5° and angle of
incidence 2°. Double-slotted flaps are each divided into four partsand occupy 60 per cent of the span, while the slotted ailerons are
supplemented by spoilers. Air brakes on the wing struts are intendedto steepen the approach, the struts being attached to the stub-wing
fairings into which the main wheels are partially retracted. Low-pressure tyres are fitted, and the nosewheel also retracts. Fuel is
carried in flexible wing tanks, and the HD-130's performance wouldbe improved by the installation of future developments of the
Astazou rated at 610e.h.p.
Powerplants: Two 554 e.h.p. Turbomeca Astazou 2s driving8ft lOin diameter airscrews.
Dimensions: Span 85ft 3in; length 43ft llin; height, 19ft 8in;wing area, 376 sq ft; aspect ratio, 19.2. Weights: max take-off,
11,4401b; payload plus fuel, 3,9201b; max payload, 2,8151b; empty,6,9451b. Payload accommodation: Cabin volume, 578 cu ft; cabin
length, 15ft 7in; max width, 7ft 4Jin; max height, 5ft 11 in; usablefloor area, 85.5 sq ft. Fuel capacity: ISA Imp gal. Performance:
Cruising speed, 215-221 m.p.h.; range with max payload, noreserves, 310 miles at 215 m.p.h. and 9,840ft; range with max fuel.
no reserves, 1,242 miles; take-off run to clear 50ft, 1,560ft; landingrun from 50ft, 1,961 ft; single-engined ceiling, 16,250ft; rate of
climb on one engine, 390 ft/min.
KLM AT STANSTED
OPERATIONAL restrictions on the use of jets at LondonHeathrow have caused KLM to transfer all their DC-8
charter flights to Stanstcd, Essex. The company says that thereason for this is noise restrictions over built-up areas in the
vicinity of London (which limit payloads) and other operationallimitations which prevent charter or unscheduled flights landing at
London at peak times of the day.
About 25 charter flights will be operated from Stansted in thenext four months, increasing passenger throughput by at least 2,500.
KENNARD FAMILY AIRWAYS
OVER the period of the past few weeks new airlines have beenformed in England, Scotland and Ireland. Skycraft Inter-
national, an Irish independent associated with Air Safaris, startedoperations on April 16 from Belfast and Dublin; two weeks ago
came news of a new charter company for Scotland, CaledonianAirways (Prestwick) Ltd, and on May 5 was announced the forma-
tion of a new independent which is to have headquarters at Roch-ester. No name has yet been found for this new British operator,
the directors of which will be Wg Cdr Hugh Kennard and his wifeAudrey. Until last November, both were with Silver City, Wg
Cdr Kennard as joint managing director and Mrs Kennard asmanager of the passenger division.
Rochester airport, where the company's "twin-engined turbo-prop aircraft" will be based, is at present a quiet grass airfield
operated by Short Bros and Harland, and not used commerciallyexcept by Channel Airways on seasonal services from Southend.
Yet it is a "natural" for development by an independent airline:only 29 miles from London, it is reasonably accessible from the
South London industrial areas, and communications to the northwill be improved when the new M.2 motorway, by-passing the
Medway towns, is linked to the Dartford - Purfleet road tunnel.
Although negotiations for use of the airport had not been con-cluded at the time of going to press, the intention is to use Rochester
as the main operating and maintenance base and to expand to itherbases later. Passenger, inclusive-tour and scheduled service licences
for both internal and Continental routes are to be applied foi andit is hoped to start operating early next year. Later, Wg Coi